In the build-up it was described as a fixture that belonged in Europe's premier club competition, kicking-off at 8pm on either a Tuesday or Wednesday evening.
Instead, Manchester United and Barcelona, both looking to rediscover their places at European football's top table, went toe-to-toe at 5:45pm on a Thursday teatime. But despite it being a tie that will decide who reaches the last-16 of the Europa League, you would never have guessed it with the quality that was on show and the intensity that the game was played at. It was a European classic.
With United's travelling contingent up in the gods hoping to witness a result that they would be able to tell their children and their grandchildren about in years to come, Erik ten Hag, before the first ball had even been kicked, made it clear that he and his players would be doing their utmost to create a lasting memory. He confirmed that United had arrived at Camp Nou, a stadium considered European football's greatest cathedral, to go toe to toe with La Liga's pacesetters.
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"We can do it, it's a good element in our game, that we have a very good counter, but I think we also have to bring them out of their comfort zone," Ten Hag said, speaking to BT Sport in his pre-match interview. "We will press them high, if possible.
"Where possible we have to press them high. And also when we have the ball we have to let them run. We have players in our squad now that are capable to play, so we have to play."
United most certainly did play. Right from the very off they made it clear that they had not travelled all the way to Spain just to be dictated to. Bruno Fernandes' low cross, which was so nearly met by Fred on the stretch, inside the first minute set the tone.
In a contest that saw both sides enjoy spells of dominance and chances, United always looked the more likely to score. Even after former Chelsea man Marcos Alonso had given Barcelona a 50th-minute lead, just seconds after Jadon Sancho had squandered yet another chance at the other end, you never ruled out a Reds recovery.
Just two minutes after David de Gea had picked the ball out of the net at one end, Marcus Rashford ensured Marc-Andre ter Stegen was doing the exact same at the other. The England international picked the perfect moment to score his 22nd goal of the season and become the first United player to score against Barcelona in Camp Nou since Dwight Yorke in 1998.
Back level, United had their tails up and flipped the game on its head seven minutes later. Rashford - this time the architect - saw a low cross turned home by Barcelona defender Jules Kounde for an own-goal. United's supporters, by this stage, were probably within touching distance of reaching the stars above, such was the level of emotion and joy running through the away end.
Unfortunately, however, they were unable to hold on to record a famous victory, as Raphinha's 76th-minute cross evaded everyone inside the box and found the back of the net. The former Leeds man's effort finished the scoring, meaning United were left disappointed by the fact they had drawn against Barcelona in Camp Nou.
Rashford, who became the first Englishman to score in Camp Nou since Frank Lampard in 2006, went as far as saying it 'felt like a loss'.
If a 2-2 draw against a Barcelona side who had won each of their last 11 games ahead of Thursday night's knockout round play-off tie first leg 'felt like a loss', it is a sign of the progress United have made and are continuing to make under Ten Hag. Going toe to toe with one of football's greatest powerhouses with a starting line-up that was missing three of last summer's five permanent signings deserves tremendous credit.
Luke Shaw, though he had played at centre-back already this season, played out of position, Wout Weghorst operated as a No.10 and Bruno Fernandes played on the right-wing. It was a starting line-up that had a patched-up feel to it, yet Ten Hag executed a game plan that so nearly resulted in a famous victory.
It was yet another indicator of why United sounded out Ten Hag when looking to appoint their next permanent manager a year ago. He is proving himself as an elite-level coach, capable of bringing the good times back to Old Trafford.
With that in mind, if he is capable of masterminding such impressive performances and results with the resources he currently has available to him, pointing to United's lack of sufficient quality in reserve and a lack of strength in depth, what could he be capable of with significant backing? On the eve of the 'soft deadline' for prospective buyers to submit their bids, Ten Hag provided the perfect sales pitch for why United are worth investing in with him at the helm.
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